Member Night at CRO - March 2

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The next member night at CRO is on Saturday, March 2.

Right now the long range weather forecasts are calling for clear skies and warm temps (for late winter), but may be a bit breezy! Winds around 15 mph. This will be a great evening for viewing with the 14” and 30” scopes!

Sunset is at 1830 (6:30pm). Nautical twilight begins at 1856. Astronomical twilight begins at 1926. Twilight ends and true night begins at 1956.

The moon doesn’t rise until 0139. When it does, it will be a Waning Crescent at around 55% illumination. It should be a great evening for observing, weather permitting!

Again, watch the weather forecasts and here on the forum to find out if the forecast changes and if we will have to cancel.

If anyone is coming that can open the 14” or 30” scopes, please post on here that you will be attending and it will be open.

If you’re planning to come out, please post on here that you are coming. I will not be in state, so please ensure that a CRO member posts on here that they will have CRO open for all members!

If you want to be guided to CRO, please post here and check back to see if a CRO member can meet and guide you. CRO members, please post what time you can meet any members needing guides. Please make arrangements to meet directly with whoever will be guiding you.

The location of the observatory is also now searchable in both Google Maps and Apple Maps. Search for Cheddar Ranch Observatory, Watonga, OK, and it should appear and give you directions if you want. It might also appear in your GPS app/program.

Clear and dark skies!

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I’m planning on coming out, and can open the 14" observatory if no one else does. It’ll be out of the wind.

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I’m planning on coming out. Looks like we can do some training on the C14. Have one member coming out looking to get some training on the new mount. The 15’ dome needs some repair so the 30" will not be available to use.

4

I am hoping to come Saturday night to CRO and get oriented to the place. It will be my first time there. I know how to get there. What is the best time to arrive?

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Welcome! In your case as a first time visitor, I’d say an hour before sunset in order to see everything and meet everyone in the daylight. The building, the observatories, the grounds are awesome. If and when you bring a telescope, its always best to set up in daylight. And there are telescopes at CRO that you can take outside and try out. All best with plenty of daylight!

Again, welcome!!

Marv Halsey

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Thank you. I will plan to be there in time to look around in the daylight.

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I would like to come out Saturday night. I am not a member yet, but would like to come check things out. Would that be ok?

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Rod,

You are welcome to join us. We do have a lot of sand burrs so we recommend to wear shoes with a hard bottom like hiking boots.

We sometime meet at Swadley’s in El Reno for dinner. I’m thinking getting there about 4pm and heading out for CRO around 4:45pm. Does anyone else want to meet at Swadley’s?

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Count me in for Swadleys and CRO. CRO is a first for me. I see CRO on Google maps so I should be able to find it.

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My wife and I are very much looking forward to coming out to CRO tomorrow! It will be both of our first times there, we will be showing up with open minds ready to learn.

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I plan on coming out tomorrow as well

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My wife and I are looking forward to our first night out at CRO tomorrow as well.

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Looks like it will be windy tomorrow. My apps are saying up to 20mph wind speeds. I will be bringing an 8" dob and a nexstar 127 slt, everyones welcome to try them out if theyd like to.

Might stop by swadleys as well.

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I agree, I’m seeing 14-16 mph out there for tomorrow. May still go to take part in the roll off roof telescopes

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As long as we have new members planning to go out to CRO tomorrow, I will still plan to do so — and to meet at Swadley’s in El Reno beforehand.

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I plan to be onsite and stay overnight tonight. I’ll be trying to get some faint OIII for a mosaic. So visitors can stay as late as they want, the site will be open all night :+1:

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I plan to be at CRO and possibly Swadley’s if I can make it. I bought a used celestron 130EQ a few weeks ago from FB market place and I’m not having any luck with collimating it so if anyone can assist, Id greatly appreciate it.

My plan for the evening is to work on the Messier Certification with my 130EQ and study some star charts in my bino chair.

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At least Dave and I will plan to meet and eat at Swadley’s in El Reno at 4pm.

If we’ve not met before, I have short grey hair and shorter grey beard — and glasses.

Please join us if you can.

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Has anyone looked at comet 12P/Pons-Brooks? Supposed to be 7.2 magnitude.

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I’ll bring my 2600mc astro cam if you want to put it on the C14 and take some images of it.